Ultraviolet Light Allows Skin Cancer Cells to Thrive

Dr. Wendy Bollag and her associates at the Medical College of Georgia and the Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center are investigating the link between UV radiation and the proliferation of skin cancer. Dr. Bollag is a cell physiologist and hopes that this research will help develop new treatment for, “the million new cases of non-melanoma skin cancers diagnosed in the United States annually.”

Dr. Bollag points out that humans are now living longer than ever before which makes UV radiation research in relation to skin cancer evermore essential. Her research has shown that UV’s bad effects are cumulative and dose dependant. Specifically, more UV exposure leads to more activity by the enzyme, protein kinase D. Dr. Bollag is anticipates that protein kinase D inhibitors which are being developed for other cancers may be used to treat skin cancer.

The protein kinase D enzyme is used to help regulate the growth of new cells to replace skin cells that constantly slough off due to the environment. This leads Dr. Bollag to state, “protein kinase D is good under normal conditions, when it’s regulated appropriately. But what can happen is it starts misbehaving.” The enzymes increased activity helps skin cells survive the constant exposure to UV radiation. This can be helpful, allowing minor damaged cells to repair themselves, or it can be dangerous, keeping skin cells alive with a lot of DNA damage which leads to cancer since the cells have an inhibited ability to self-destruct.

Dr. Bollag discovered that protein kinase D was upregulated in basal cell carcinoma. Because it is known that sun exposure is the greatest risk factor for basal cell carcinoma, Dr. Bollag had already hypothesized there would be a link between UV radiation and protein kinase D. They research team has also pretreated cells with antioxidants with positive results, leading the team to believe that free radicals in involved in the process as well. In the future, the team wants to research the effect of UV radiation on protein kinase D in the more deadly melanoma cancers. They also want to know is protein kinase D’s activity slows with age, such as it does with hormones.

I found this article to be interesting because skin cancer is such a common cancer that’s seeds for development are planted around the age of teenagers and young adults. I remember in middle school, we had to watch a video about the link between tanning and skin cancer. Our coaches would then even tell us about how they used to tan often and had developed skin cancer. I also find the article interesting because the cancerous cells are relying on an outside environmental cue to thrive and not a substance in the body. I also find the article interesting because it describes the balance you have to keep for so many environmental factors to be healthy, especially in the case of cancer. For example, too much UV radiation may give you skin cancer, but if you don’t get enough sun exposure, you could develop other cancers, such as prostate cancer.

Article Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101207112321.htm
Alexander J. Quante '13 -- VTPP 434